Thursday, September 17, 2009

Every offseason, ESPN seems to make offers to every recently retired NFLer an offer to appear on various shows throughout the subsequent season, and two more players have been added. Both, Derrick Brooks and Drew Bennett, have signed on to appear on First Take, and other shows throughout the 2009 season. Via ESPN PR....

Super Bowl champion linebacker Derrick Brooks is joining ESPN2’s First Take as an analyst for the 2009-10 NFL season where he will provide analysis on the popular sports-themed morning show (10 a.m. – 12 p.m., M-F) each week throughout the pro football season. Brooks will work primarily Thursdays and Fridays with analyst Lomas Brown, one of his former teammates, and will make his debut this week (Sept. 17-18).

Brooks: "While I still feel like I can play in the NFL, I'm excited to be a part of ESPN’s NFL coverage where I have a lot of former teammates. I look forward to the exposure this opportunity will bring as a share my knowledge and perspective of the game on First Take.”

Former standout wide receiver Drew Bennett has also joined ESPN2’s First Take as an analyst for the 2009-10 NFL season. Bennett will work a combination of Mondays and Tuesdays. His first day on-air was Monday.

Bennett: "I could not be more excited to be a part of the team at ESPN. This is the pinnacle of sports broadcasting, and I am looking forward to learning from and working with the best in the business."

“Derrick and Drew are accomplished, highly-respected players who will be great additions to our NFL coverage because they will relate to fans what goes on in the locker room and on the practice field leading up to and following each week’s NFL games,” said David Brofsky, ESPN senior coordinating producer, who oversees First Take.

Good lord. I don't even know how to describe how ridiculous the amount of ex-players ESPN has on its roster now. By my count, that's now thirteen on NFL coverage alone. Do you really need that many people, let alone former players?